During the Buffalo Bills preseason, there appeared to be a battle for what could be the final quarterback spot on the depth chart behind starter Josh Allen and backup Mitchell Trubisky.
While head coach Sean McDermott typically only keeps two quarterbacks on the roster, keeping either Jake Fromm or Davis Webb seemed not just plausible but expected as COVID-19 variants continue to surge.
However, when the Bills announced their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, neither Fromm, a fifth-round draft pick in 2020, nor Davis, a 2017 third-round pick who came to Buffalo in 2019 after being released by the New York Jets, made the cut.
UPDATE: On Wednesday, afternoon both players were added to the Bills’ practice team.
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Last season, Fromm never got to take a snap after COVID-19 health and safety protocols canceled the preseason. Instead, the Bills opted to use the UC Berkley alum as a quarantine quarterback, keeping him away from the rest of the team in case a COVID-19 outbreak wiped out those ahead of him on the depth chart.
Davis Webb. QB1.
Both Fromm and Webb, the latter of whom spent the past two years on the practice squad, were competing to secure the backup to the backup spot. During the Bills opening preseason game against the Detroit Lions, Webb entered the game in the second quarter, going 11-for-16 for 90 yards and facilitating a 15-play, 83-yard drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Devin Singletary.
Jake Fromm is NOT DONE.
4th down and Marquez Stevenson gets loose! @FrommJake
📺: #BUFvsDET on @NFLNetwork (or check local listings)
📱: t.co/EQPwwGojpH
Fromm took over at quarterback during the third and fourth quarters. The University of Georgia alum went 8-for-13 for 65 yards. On the final drive, Fromm completed a 42-yard pass to rookie Marquez Stevenson on 4th-and-10 – a gutsy play that put the Bills in range for the game-winning field goal.
Trubisky Is Only Expected to Stay in Buffalo for 1 Year
Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane tells us Mitchell Trubisky was a sought after free agent but, decided to sign in Buffalo for a “reboot” with Brian Daboll and Josh Allen.
Audio 👇 #BillsMafia
Another reason for keeping either Fromm, 23, or Webb, 26, on the depth chart stems from the fact that Trubisky’s stint with the Bills is not a long-term situation. The former Chicago Bears quarterback signed a one-year contract with Buffalo, and he’s not expected to return next season.
Back in March, general manager Brandon Beane mentioned in an interview with SiriusXM NFL radio that they were looking to help develop Trubisky so he could return to a starting role with another team in 2022. While facing his former team during the Bills’ second preseason game, Trubisky proved his worth as QB2.
The former No. 2 overall pick completed 20 of 28 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown. “I knew people would be talking about it and hyping it up, but it was just important for me to come out here and do my job and show my teammates that I could play well,” Trubisky said of the “revenge” game versus the Bears, per CBS Sports.
With Trubisky hoping to one day return to his role as QB1, and the Bills coaching staff aware of his future goals, it would make sense if Buffalo keeps Fromm and Davis on the practice squad as insurance, which is highly likely considering the NFL is keeping the expanded 16-player practice squad for the 2021 season.
The NFL Ranked Allen as the No. 10 Overall Player for the 2021 Season
THAT’S OUR QUARTERBACK!
Following Allen’s stellar performance on Saturday, the NFL released the rest of the preseason rankings, and the Bills quarterback nabbed the No.10 spot.
While there will be many who believe Allen should be ranked higher, it’s a huge jump from last year’s rankings, where he was ranked No. 87 in the NFL’s Top 100.
From No. 87 to No. 10 in just a year.
There’s a reason @JoshAllenQB made one of the biggest leaps in this year’s #NFLTop100. 📈
📺: #NFLTop100 on @nflnetwork
After the New England Patriots cut Cam Newton on August 31, Allen earned another impressive, albeit wild new NFL ranking. At age 25, Allen is now the oldest and longest-tenured quarterback in the AFC East.
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Buffalo Bills Bring Back 2 Quarterbacks to Practice Squad